Chapter 20 Earning Money from Three Trips in One: A Three-in-One Trip

Tang Yicheng thought Wang Xiao would pretend to be a hotel guest and try to get on the good side of the hotel receptionist. It just so happened that they had just come from Xin County and were carrying their luggage.

It turned out that the person had connections; as soon as they entered, they asked to see the leader.

The hotel Wang Xiao found was the same shop where she had previously sold recipes. The salt-baked shrimp she provided sold well and had gradually become a new signature dish for the catering department. Therefore, the hotel's duty manager tonight also agreed to meet with her.

Wang Xiao didn't exchange many pleasantries and went straight to the point, emphasizing that the Jinning Hotel had been providing soap to its guests for a long time.

"This is an international trend, and it's essential for hotel services. In the past, our country's chemical industry couldn't keep up and we lacked raw materials, so our daily chemical industry was weak. You needed ration coupons to buy soap, and people didn't care about such things. But now the situation is different. We must ensure that what needs to be supplied is supplied."

Wang Xiao explained, "These days, people who stay in hotels are all respectable people, representing their organizations to discuss serious business in the provincial capital. A clean and tidy appearance is very important to them. Otherwise, if they go to meet guests looking sloppy, their image will be lowered. Moreover, most of the business travelers are men, and expecting them to bring soap with them is simply not that thoughtful."

The deputy general manager on duty, whose real name is Wang Xiao, was just joking.

The gay men are notoriously rough around the edges. Without proper bathing facilities, showering is just a quick rinse. As for washing their faces, well, they're like little kittens, washing their faces, as if the backs of their ears and necks aren't even part of their bodies.

Holding the small soap sample, she considered it in her mind for a moment before asking the price: "How much is this soap?"

"It's cheap, only 50 cents a bar. If a restaurant orders a lot, over 1000 yuan, 45 cents is fine too. Our soaps sell for 2 yuan a bar elsewhere."

The vice president immediately shook his head, emphasizing with the meticulousness often seen in women: "A two-yuan bar of soap is at least 100g, but this one is less than 20g, at most 15g. It's three mao a bar, no, two mao at most. We're doing wholesale, which is different from retail."

She was afraid Wang Xiao would disagree, so she put on airs again, saying, "Besides, I can only report this to the leaders. If the price is too high, the leaders won't even glance at it. Giving away soap for free will increase our hotel's operating costs by a lot."

“Your boss will definitely agree.” Wang Xiao grabbed the vice president’s hand, speaking with utmost sincerity. “Sister, listen to me. You’re not just giving away soap for free; you’re giving away free advertising for our Sijichun Hotel. Every bar of soap you give away is a mobile billboard. We won’t have to worry about people not knowing about our Sijichun Hotel.”

The vice president simply laughed and shook his head: "Soap isn't a T-shirt, why would you advertise it?"

The provincial capital is well-stocked with goods, and the general public is naturally quite knowledgeable. After the failure to meet price control standards two years ago, there has been a serious backlog of products in the warehouses of various factories in the past two years. It is common to see promotional T-shirts given away with the purchase of home appliances. Everyone knows about this advertising model that makes buyers happy and sellers even happier.

But how can soap and advertising shirts be the same? The latter can be worn directly on the street, but only a lunatic would carry a bar of soap around the street and try to sell it to people. The hotel guests aren't crazy.

"Yes, we can!" Wang Xiao smiled and gestured to the vice president, "A bar of soap definitely won't be used up in one or two uses, especially for men. This bar might last them a month. Soap doesn't dry immediately after use; it needs to air dry. But when you're out and about in a hurry, you might not have time to do that all the time. So, the soap needs to be wrapped in plastic wrap, don't you think?"

The vice president nodded, not arguing. Whether it's scented soap or regular soap, it has to come in a box. In the past, you needed coupons to buy soap boxes, but that's not the case anymore. But soap boxes cost several cents each.

"We wrap the soap in plastic wrap, and print the name, address, and contact information of the Four Seasons Spring Hotel on the plastic. If guests don't finish the soap when they stay at the hotel, they won't just throw it away, but will take it with them to continue using, right?"

The vice president nodded again, agreeing. Although people's material living standards have improved significantly since the reform and opening up, they haven't reached the point where they're overeating.

Actually, their hotel used to provide hand soap, but people would take it one by one, and the hotel couldn't afford it.

Wang Xiao's smile deepened: "Whether they're salespeople or technicians, those who travel on business are constantly on the go, spending more time on trains than at home. Don't they need to wash their faces or something on the train? Our soap is perfect for that. Then, when people look around, they'll see the Four Seasons Spring Hotel's sign. Guests will need plastic bags to carry the soap, so they won't throw away the plastic wrap with the advertisement. That way, the hotel's advertisement can reach as far as they travel."

Tang Yicheng didn't know if the vice president was moved; after all, business people are very good at hiding their emotions. But he was stunned. He never imagined that a small bar of soap could be used as an advertising billboard.

Wang Xiao continued persuading the vice president, "Besides, people have their own circles. Those in supply and sales form one circle, those in technical support form another, and those who travel frequently don't need to introduce themselves; they can strike up a conversation directly. Once you talk enough and mention the Four Seasons Spring Hotel, people in the circle will know that staying at the hotel means you can use free soap and take it home. It's hard not to be tempted. Once they're tempted, they'll come and stay at our hotel."

That sounds strange. Do people who are away on business trips really have such short-sighted views?

But in fact, taking advantage of others is a human instinct.

When Wang Xiao was in college, her teacher told her about a corruption case involving a Japanese civil servant, which was small but shocking.

The case originated from the fact that while Japanese civil servants generally receive only modest benefits, they are allowed to take a taxi home after working overtime for a certain period, with the fare reimbursed. However, taxis in Japan are quite expensive, leading to fierce competition among companies. Therefore, a clever company started providing free snacks like beer and peanuts in its taxis for civil servants to use.

Wow, these insignificant little trinkets have won over the local government officials. Many even worked overtime until late at night just to enjoy these free snacks.

Wang Xiao also discovered during her live streams that her fans loved it even if it was just a dollar less.

She guessed the situation would have been similar in 1990. Perhaps because resources were scarcer now than they would be thirty years later, people preferred free soap.

She smiled at the vice president: "President Cao, our soaps are going to be advertised, so we can't just calculate the cost by weight. When the time comes, people all over the country who travel on business will know about our Four Seasons Spring Hotel. When they come to the provincial capital, Four Seasons Spring Hotel will be their first choice for accommodation. I'm afraid the hotel will be too busy to handle it all."

Mr. Cao was impressed by the fact that it was spread by word of mouth among business travelers.

Given the limitations of our times, less than one in ten people can afford to travel nowadays. To succeed in business, we must focus on the big picture and ensure the influx of our main customer base.

She finally made up her mind: "Four cents, that's the highest I can pay, otherwise I can't report it to my superiors."

Wang Xiao immediately demanded a guarantee: "Then you must order at least 2,000 bars of soap."

Mr. Cao instinctively refused: "We don't need that many. Our main business is catering, and we only have 218 guest rooms in total. 2,000 bars of soap will take a long time to go through."

After all, it's already good if the accommodation is half full; it's impossible for it to be completely full.

Wang Xiao's smile widened: "That's exactly why we should stock up! You see, it's almost December, and all the companies will be settling accounts soon. Now is the time when everyone is busy collecting debts to clear their books. There are so many companies in the provincial capital, who doesn't have a mountain of debt? And which company doesn't have a bunch of people waiting to pay their debts at its gate? With so many people, there must be a place for them to stay. At that time, the hotels may not be able to accommodate them all, and we might have to make them sleep on the floor in the lobby."

Mr. Cao was amused by her: "That won't do now, it's freezing cold, you might catch a cold and get seriously injured. It would be more appropriate in the summer."

Two summers ago, when prices were being controlled, many people were worried that their money would depreciate rapidly, so they flocked to the provincial capital to buy home appliances and gold jewelry. At that time, their restaurant actually cleaned up the lobby and rented out mats for people to sleep on the floor for three yuan a night, which was almost zero cost. They made tens of thousands of yuan in one summer.

Now, those conditions don't exist now.

It's really a pity.

Hopefully, the free soap will really have the amazing advertising effect that this girl claims.

The two sides then went back and forth, haggling for a long time.

Wang Xiao remained adamant that he wouldn't budge unless the hotel ordered 5,000 bars of soap; otherwise, they wouldn't lower the price to 35 cents. After all, the soap was custom-made for the hotel, and even the hotel's name and information needed to be printed on a separate plastic sheet.

However, Wang Xiao was quite considerate, offering five different packaging paper advertising templates for General Manager Cao to choose from. General Manager Cao was overwhelmed by the choices and finally said he needed to consult his superiors before making a decision.

This time, Wang Xiao didn't dawdle. Instead, he smiled and said, "Okay, I'll come over tomorrow to get the templates and take them to the factory to make them. I'll try my best to get you the goods this week and make sure it doesn't delay the hotel's business."

Mr. Cao agreed without thinking, completely forgetting that he had originally planned to negotiate the price down further.

Forget it, it's a government-run hotel, not her own. It's only a small, three- or five-star hotel. Even if she tries to suppress it, no one will remember her contribution.

This trip at the "Four Seasons Spring Hotel" took too long; the city clock was about to strike ten.

Wang Xiao wasn't sleepy at all. As long as he could stay up for 72 hours to make money, he could show you what it means to become energetic in a second.

Unfortunately, at this hour, whether it was a hotel or a guesthouse, even the people on the night shift were starting to enter a state of mental clarity and reject all advances, so she had no choice but to leave work early.

Tang Yicheng, who had always acted as the bag carrier, was finally able to serve another purpose: "Engineer Wang, let me take you home, it's getting late."

Wang Xiao didn't stand on ceremony with anyone.

Let alone the notoriously unsafe 1990s, even before she transmigrated into the book, it was very dangerous for a young girl to walk alone at night. Tsk, during economic downturns, violent crimes tend to increase dramatically.

She smiled warmly at people and said, "That's troublesome. You can stay at our steel plant's guesthouse later. There will definitely be rooms available."

If there are no rooms available, an acquaintance can conjure one up for you.

The steel mill was a behemoth, a miniature kingdom with everything from schools and hospitals to markets and shops. If Wang Xiao hadn't gone to university and later been assigned to the chemical engineering institute, she could have stayed there completely isolated from the outside world.

Tang Yicheng replied politely, "It's alright, I can sleep anywhere."

He wasn't bragging, because when he arrived at the steel plant's residential area and knocked on the Wang family's door, Comrade Wang Tiejun, for some reason, upon hearing that it was his daughter's new colleague from Xin County who needed a place to sleep that night, enthusiastically recommended that he spend the night in the steel plant's bathroom.

"It's comfortable, really. Our factory has plenty of heating. In the bathhouse, you can take a bath, then lie down on the bed. It's warm and cozy, and you can sleep comfortably even without clothes on. Plus, it's cheap. It only costs one yuan for a bath and overnight stay. Isn't that a great deal?"

So don't let his usual timidity fool you; when it's cold, he actually has the courage to argue with his wife. At worst, he'll run away from home and spend a dollar to sleep in a public bathhouse.

Hmph! Who's afraid of who?

It's hot, and staying in the bathhouse is uncomfortable and unbearable.

Tang Yicheng surprisingly agreed and was overjoyed to ask Wang Tiejun for directions.

Wang Xiao watched the two men quickly leave like buddies, utterly speechless.

Ms. Chen Yanqiu stared intently at the young man until he was completely out of sight, then asked her daughter meaningfully, "Xiaoxiao, that young man is quite kind."

“Of course he has to be enthusiastic,” Wang Xiao said shamelessly. “Whether their soap factory can survive depends entirely on me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she became alert. "Mom, what do you mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything, I just thought the young man looked quite energetic."

"He's a veteran and never went to college."

Aunt Chen immediately deflated.

Ever since Ruan Rui arrogantly declared, "Don't regret it if you don't get married," she's been determined to find her daughter someone with better prospects than Ruan Rui.

Let's not even talk about finding a PhD, but at least a Master's degree like Ruan Rui's.

Wang Xiao genuinely felt that Ms. Chen Yanqiu was overthinking things.

The marriage market is so cruel; men with good qualities are definitely a scarce resource. To put it bluntly, if it weren't for what happened last year, and if Ruan Rui had followed the expected path from lecturer to professor at a prestigious university in the provincial capital, he would have had virtually no chance of crossing paths with the original owner of this body; they were simply not in the same social circle.

Leaving aside the ancient practice of "catching a son-in-law after passing the imperial examination," how many modern tycoons initially took the route of their fathers-in-law? Hey! In this regard, men with potential are truly sought-after.

In such a brutal dating market, how can women break through?

Wang Xiao was unaware of other people's Thirty-Six Stratagems. Her method was extremely simple: never use one's weaknesses to attack the other's strengths, and simply not play along with them.

With such a big world and so many markets, why insist on entering the dating and marriage market?

Isn't it better to just make money?

Dr. Chen Yanqiu was still muttering, "They can't even afford to stay in a guesthouse, so their family's financial situation must not be good. And now they're going out to join the army, so they must not be good at studying and won't be able to get into school."

Wang Xiao remained deaf to his words, showing no intention whatsoever to speak up for the soldier.

Because she treats all professions equally, without any bias.

What's wrong with soldiers? Aren't they just ordinary males?

Before she transmigrated into the book, she had a close female friend, the kind who was incredibly virtuous and devoted to family happiness. She dated soldiers, police officers, and firefighters—all genuine heroes who had risked their lives to save others in disasters—yet without exception, they all cheated on her. The most outrageous one even flirted with five people at the same time.

It's clear that professional ethics and personal character are really unrelated; saving someone one minute doesn't prevent them from having an affair the next.

This led to the sisters being known as "Emerald" in the investment community, and those who were planning to invest in the stock market avoided them.

Finally, this woman started dating a soldier, but this time she backed out before he could cheat on her.

Why? Because the military is encouraging families to have three children.

She longed for a warm family, not a widowed mother raising three children alone. She simply didn't have the courage to risk her life to protect her husband's family's path to becoming a general. Knowing her own limitations, she quickly slipped away.

Dr. Chen had already given his final verdict: "This one won't do; the conditions are too poor. She can't possibly marry into that family and suffer."

Wang Xiao nodded vigorously, like a chicken pecking at rice. In her heart, she clenched her fist: Keep it up, Dr. Chen! Continue this spirit of never giving up on poverty alleviation.

Your daughter's happy life needs your meticulous care and protection.

Wang Xiao visited seven stores in the provincial capital in one go, securing an order for 12,000 bars of soap, before heading back to Xin County.

In fact, according to her own opinion, there was no need to make another trip; it would be a waste of time.

Unfortunately, in 1990, there was truly nothing available. Forget digital cameras, she couldn't even find a fax machine, let alone communicate with the factory in person to finalize the design of the soap's plastic packaging. Besides, signing a contract required an official seal, which wasn't something a temporary employee like her could simply sign off on.

In the end, she and Tang Yicheng had to run back and forth.

She had considered having Tang Yicheng run errands alone while she stayed in the provincial capital to discuss business with other guesthouses.

But communication is so underdeveloped now, even pagers are a rarity, and she was afraid that Tang Yicheng wouldn't be able to explain himself clearly, and in the end, the soap factory would produce the product, but it wouldn't be what the client wanted, and all the work would be wasted.

I might as well waste the round-trip train ticket and go to the factory to share the good news first.

The parents complained, "How did you end up as a salesperson instead of a technician?" but they still packed their daughter's luggage.

Wang Tiejun even went to the Jinning Hotel service area before dawn to queue up and buy several large meat buns for his daughter. He was worried that she wouldn't have an appetite for breakfast so early in the morning, and that she would have something to eat if she got hungry on the way.

Wang Xiao thought to himself, "I might as well bring a bag of biscuits to eat on the way."

Anyone who's ridden a long-distance bus knows what it's like. In the dead of winter, it's sealed off. Eating meat buns on the bus? Tsk tsk, how utterly unpleasant.

The two took a bus and then a public bus, finally arriving at the soap factory before lunchtime, and went straight to the factory manager's office.

Just then, the factory manager and his team went to greet the leaders of the Light Industry Bureau who were inspecting the work, and they were accompanying them on a tour of the workshop.

The young woman in the factory office kept urging Wang Xiao, "Engineer Wang, why don't you go over and introduce your factory to us?"

Wang Xiao thought to himself: What am I supposed to explain? I only remember that soap is made from oil and vinegar (I think), and I know nothing else about it.

In front of a pretty young lady with sparkling eyes, she made an excuse to refuse: "No, I need to have a couple of bites first, otherwise I'll get low blood sugar."

As she spoke, she quickly rummaged through her bag and pulled out the insulated lunchbox that Comrade Wang Tiejun had given her. Wow, the quality is really good; it was still warm when she took it out of her bag.

Wang Xiao gave one to Tang Yicheng, and then gestured for the factory office girl to have one.

The person politely replied, "No need, no need, lunch is coming soon."

As a result, Wang Xiao took a bite, and the little girl subconsciously swallowed, asking cautiously, "Is this the Jin Ning Big Meat Bun? It smells so good."

Wang Xiao chewed and swallowed a bite of steamed bun, then smiled and replied, "Yes, my dad went to queue up early this morning to buy it."

The little girl's face began to turn red, and she stammered, "It really is."

Wang Xiao quickly realized what was going on and offered it to him again: "Try it, look how many there are, it would be a waste if we couldn't finish them and they got cold."

"Well... thank you, Engineer Wang." The young girl didn't stand on ceremony with him anymore. She picked up a big meat bun, took a careful bite, and her happy expression made Wang Xiao feel that it was a waste that Jinning Grand Hotel hadn't hired this girl to shoot an advertisement.

Is it really that exaggerated?

She admitted that the buns in her hands had thin, soft skins, and the filling, which was a good mix of lean and fatty meat, was steamed until firm. The gravy had soaked into the bun skins, and when she took a bite, the meat juice filled her mouth. They were indeed delicious.

But... it's just so-so.

She has eaten too many good things, and her body has never lacked oil and fat, so it's really hard for her to think that a meat bun is something that should only exist in heaven.

However, the way the factory office girl ate the buns made people feel that the buns tasted at least 20 points better.

An older woman happened to be in the factory office getting her stamps, and smelling the meat buns, she asked in surprise, "It's almost lunchtime, why are you only having breakfast now?"

The young woman from the factory office quickly swallowed the food in her mouth and said excitedly, "Sister Tao, it's true, Jin Ning's big meat buns are really delicious. You're not wrong, they really are delicious."

Sister Tao's eyes fell on the table, and she subconsciously swallowed.

Did Wang Xiao have any further questions? He immediately gestured, "Sister Tao, don't be shy, try it, it won't taste right when it's cold."

As soon as she arrived, several young women, older women, and even an older man squeezed into the office within five minutes. There weren't enough buns left to share, so everyone tore them apart to eat, grumbling, "The soup is dripping!"

There were more monks than meat, and some people only ate a little bit of the bun skin, but that didn't stop them from expressing their approval of the big meat bun: it really is a product of Jinning Grand Hotel!

Wang Xiao found it particularly amusing; it turns out that Jin Ning's big meat bun is still a luxury item.

That's really simple and down-to-earth. After all, a meat bun only costs 50 cents without a ration coupon, a small but certain happiness that everyone can afford.

No, this is basically a luxury that only people in the provincial capital and those who travel to the provincial capital on business can enjoy.

After all, while the steamed buns themselves aren't expensive, the transportation costs are. A one-way bus ticket from the provincial capital to Xin County costs 7.6 yuan, and a round trip costs more than 15 yuan. Just to buy a steamed bun? That's a complete joke.

Tsk tsk, for the people of Xinxian County in this era, Jinning's big meat buns are like Sam's Club in big cities for people from prefecture-level cities—there's a market where they absolutely need someone to buy them for them.

Wang Xiao's eyes darted around, her face filled with guilt: "I'm so sorry, I didn't know Jin Ning's big meat buns were so popular. If I had known, I would have had my dad queue up to buy more. I'm really sorry."

Those who had eaten the meat buns dared not accept such an apology.

Although living standards have improved and we don't have to worry about food and drink, we're still quite far from being wealthy. A researcher from a provincial chemical research institute went to great lengths to come to your county's soap factory to provide guidance and solve your problems, and even treated you to free meat buns? How shameless!

"No, no, Mr. Wang, you're too kind. We're the ones who should feel embarrassed. Come on, let's go. Lunch is about to start. Let's go to the cafeteria. I'll treat you to braised pork with radish."

Others followed suit, offering to treat everyone to a feast, promising to serve the best dishes.

Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Well, this is what I was thinking. If everyone likes big meat buns, I'll bring some more next time. My dad has connections at the Jinning Grand Hotel, so we can get freshly steamed buns then."

Wow! Sister Tao got excited first.

She once bought steamed buns at the Jinning Hotel during a business trip, and wow, she queued for two whole hours until her legs were swollen. The hotel was incredibly popular; if you went too late, you couldn't buy any.

Seeing that everyone was getting interested, Wang Xiao added another incentive: "However, their restaurant only supplies meat buns in limited quantities. If we want them, we'll have to hire someone to make them separately, which might cost extra. I heard from my dad that it's usually an extra ten cents; he's bought them for their factory before."

Those who lived through the planned economy era are used to paying extra for popular items. A large meat bun that cost 50 cents each could be had for an extra 10 cents. Although it was a bit of a luxury, it wasn't something you could eat every day. Besides, the Jinning meat buns were very substantial; one bun could be a meal for a young woman, making it a great deal.

Immediately someone signed up: "I want it, I want it, Engineer Wang, I want 10 steamed buns, I'll buy them and my family can all try them."

Others also got excited, some wanted five, some wanted ten, and the most extravagant one wanted 20. He not only prepared them for his own family, but also planned to send them to his girlfriend's family to please his mother-in-law.

Before long, Wang Xiao calculated the demand for 148 steamed buns.

Someone else emphasized, "Mr. Wang, don't rush. Let's ask other people. I reckon a lot of people want to buy."

Wang Xiao nodded with a smile: "Then you should have asked earlier. My dad only brought 500 big meat buns to the factory at most. Besides, the restaurant was too busy and refused to serve them anymore."

The soap factory workers assured them, "It's alright, it's alright. If we can't get enough this time, we'll trouble you again next time."

The people next to him laughed, "Yes, yes, 500 buns would weigh over 100 pounds, we can't carry any more than that."

Tang Yicheng nodded in agreement: "Yes, and there's also luggage, which is indeed difficult to carry."

He spoke in a very serious tone, but somehow he struck a nerve with everyone, and the entire audience burst into laughter.

After seeing off the leaders from the Light Industry Bureau, the factory director turned around, feeling troubled that the leaders wouldn't even stay for a simple meal at the factory. When he came over and saw a group of people laughing so hard they were bent over, he felt quite uncomfortable: "What are you laughing at? Why are you so happy?"

Wang Xiao smiled broadly: "I said I'd bring everyone steamed buns from the provincial capital next time. Factory director, do you want some? Jinning big meat buns. Although we didn't make a deal with Jinning Grand Hotel this time, we've already approached several other hotels and inns."

She took out a notebook and showed it to the other party, "Seven companies in total, 12,000 bars of soap. The contract has been drafted, and here are the packaging requirements..."

When it came to serious business, the leaders arrived again. The employees quickly exchanged glances, grabbed their lunchboxes, and headed to the canteen for their meal.

The factory manager had already heard Wang Xiao mention it on the phone once before, and now, seeing the contract and order, he still couldn't hide his excitement. He immediately called out to everyone, "Come on, let's go to the canteen and talk while we eat."

Wang Xiao had just finished a large meat bun and was far from being starving. When she arrived at the canteen, she only ordered a bowl of mushroom and tofu soup, sipping it slowly. She explained to the factory leaders, "Currently, hotels and inns are taking a wait-and-see approach, wanting to see how their customers react. If the response is good, they should place long-term orders. Let's just break the soap in our warehouse into smaller pieces and clear out the inventory first."

Several leaders looked at the order for a long time.

12,000 small bars of soap, totaling only 4,800 yuan, is hardly a big business opportunity. But its strength lies in opening up a new sales channel, and a stable fast-moving consumer goods channel at that.

An ordinary person can use a bar of soap for a year, but a hotel needs to replace it with a new bar for every guest it turns over, which is many times faster than the former.

The factory director could not hide his excitement: "Engineer Wang, you are truly our soap factory's savior!"

The factory manager chimed in, "That's right, our Xinxian Soap Factory is incredibly fortunate to have met a living saint like you! Come, come, let's toast you, we'll drink, you can drink as you please."

Wang Xiao smiled and said, "I'm sorry, I can only serve tea instead of wine."

Everyone showered him with compliments again.

Unfortunately, Wang Xiao, as a major internet celebrity, has been praised by fans countless times and is no longer easily flattered. She simply laughed and said, "Why are you being so polite? I sell soap and get a commission, so of course I have to do my best."

The factory office director's smile froze a little: "Um, Engineer Wang, weren't you here to provide us with technical guidance?"

“Yes.” Wang Xiao’s smile remained unchanged. “I asked the factory to make the large soap bars smaller. I’ve finished the technical guidance; sales are a separate job.”

Her eyes darted around, a half-smile playing on her lips. "No way, the factory wouldn't renege on its debts, would it?"

She's not afraid of defaulting on her debts; she has connections with more than one soap factory. For example, the Second Chemical Plant would surely welcome another best-selling product.

"How could that be!" The factory manager wasn't stupid; he naturally understood Wang Xiao's unspoken meaning.

Besides, it's normal for salespeople to get commissions these days; many salespeople make their money from commissions. It's only natural for them to ask for commissions.

Moreover, to be honest, people die for money and birds die for food. If Engineer Wang were truly noble and didn't take a single penny from the factory, they would be suspicious and wonder if this young girl was secretly up to no good.

"A commission? Of course, a commission." The factory manager exchanged glances with the leadership team and made the decision immediately. "How about a three percent commission? Our soaps are made with high-quality ingredients, so the profit margin is already low."

Three points, that's 1.2 cents for a bar of soap, and 144 yuan for an order of 4800 yuan. Considering the current general income level of the people, this figure is astonishing.

Of course, Wang Xiao didn't feel guilty about receiving it; she really didn't care much about 144 yuan.

However, she had a condition: "These stores were negotiated by me, so the customers are naturally mine too. And when they place orders again, my commission can't be less."

That was easy to negotiate; the factory leaders didn't even haggle and readily agreed. This was standard practice and not particularly unusual.

Wang Xiao felt a little better. Although it was a small amount, a steady stream of income was still good. If he saved it up slowly, it would become a stable source of income.

Moreover, she can take the opportunity to earn some extra money.

She looked at the soap factory leader with a big smile: "Leader, I'm going back to the provincial capital this time to bring back Jinning meat buns for the factory workers. Do you want some? If you do, each bun will cost an extra ten cents."

Aha! Bringing 500 meat buns in one trip, that's 50 yuan in profit.

Since we've already made the trip, we should take the opportunity to do business; how can we waste such a good opportunity?

When the time came, Wang Xiao was not satisfied with only earning fifty yuan; she wanted to earn more.

Of course, you can't earn more money by carrying more large meat buns.

If a large meat bun weighs 150g (about 3 liang), then 500 meat buns would weigh 150 jin (about 75 kg). If more are added, who will carry them onto the vehicle? Wang Xiao certainly can't, as she needs to carry her own bag.

With no way to increase shipments and the selling price fixed, she had no choice but to focus on the purchase price.

500 large meat buns, that's a lot of stuff, that's considered wholesale, you should at least try to negotiate a lower price.

Unfortunately, the breakfast manager of the catering department wouldn't accept this explanation. Even though the Jinning Hotel now has fewer guests due to the international environment, its large meat buns have never had a shortage of customers. Back in the 1950s and 60s, they were a hot commodity with long queues. Even in 1990, they remained among the top sellers, with long lines forming daily outside the service window specifically to buy them.

They made an extra 500 buns because Master Fang had asked for them. Even if she didn't want them, they wouldn't have trouble selling them.

Why lower the price of a large meat bun if it can still sell? Even a five-cent price reduction is an insult to the dignity of a top brand!

Wang Xiao reasoned with people: "That's different. If you put 500 big meat buns on the service window, you're still selling to the same people. It doesn't expand the sales scope at all. But if I take them to Xin County, it means that at least 500 people in Xin County will get to eat our restaurant's big meat buns. It's like advertising the restaurant in front of 500 people in Xin County."

She counted on her fingers, "If they have the opportunity to come to the provincial capital for business, school, or just for fun in the future, the impression left by the big meat bun will make them feel a natural affinity for the Jinning Grand Hotel. In the future, if conditions permit, they will naturally consider our Grand Hotel for accommodation and meals."

If this had been said two years ago, all the staff at the Jinning Grand Hotel would have rolled their eyes at Wang Xiao. As a hotel catering to foreign guests, they had never worried about business.

Are they worried that guests won't stay at their hotel? No! The guests themselves should be worried. Without a certain status, ordinary citizens are simply not qualified to stay at hotels that cater to foreign guests.

Unfortunately, as the saying goes, fortunes change, and things are different now. Almost all the foreign guests who had checked in left overnight, leaving far too few to support the hotel's operations. And now, all profit-making entities are responsible for their own profits and losses; they can't rely solely on funding from higher authorities. Therefore, with external funding failing, the hotel can only focus on internal development.

Given this premise, restaurants have no choice but to consider the advertising effect.

Yes, it's a small, newly established county; maybe less than ten people a year would actually stay at a hotel in the provincial capital. But the atmosphere has been created, and everyone's mouth is a ready-made megaphone. They also have relatives and friends living and working elsewhere. As the saying goes, a good reputation among the people is better than any award, and this word-of-mouth is very helpful in expanding the restaurant's influence.

The restaurant was also spurred on by the sluggish business of the past year; the pressure was too great. Before Wang Xiao could even press on and emphasize the importance of expanding sales channels, the person in charge actually nodded and agreed: "Alright, forty-five cents it is. You better keep an eye on our meat buns on the way, so they don't taste wrong and people think our cooking is bad."

Wang Xiao was immediately delighted and nodded repeatedly to assure him, "No problem, I certainly can't ruin my own reputation. I'm from the provincial capital, and Jinning meat buns are our specialty. I'm very proud of them."

Ah ha, so the profit from 500 big meat buns is a full 75 yuan.

Well, she's just too busy to do it on the side. Otherwise, she would regularly ship large meat buns from the restaurant to surrounding counties once a week, and even after deducting the cost of bus fare, that would be equivalent to a month's salary for an average dual-income family.

After finalizing the sales deal with the restaurant, Wang Xiao turned back to greet and thank Chef Fang.

Master Fang quickly called out to them, "Come on, this is perfect. Try it. Is this the honey-glazed lotus root you wanted?"

Last time Wang Xiao returned to the provincial capital, she only briefly mentioned the recipe. Later, because she was busy promoting it to various hotels, she didn't have time to come back and taste it. This time, there happened to be freshly cooked honey-glazed lotus root, so Chef Fang naturally wanted her to try making it authentic.

Wang Xiao readily agreed, picked up her chopsticks, and put a slice of glutinous rice-stuffed lotus root in her mouth. Mmm, the honey-glazed lotus root, dyed with red dates, looked incredibly sweet, and tasted even sweeter—crispy and chewy.

Wang Xiao didn't know whether the lotus root was more authentic now or the chef's skill was higher, but she felt that this honey-glazed lotus root tasted better than the one she had before she transmigrated into the book.

She immediately gave a thumbs up.

Master Fang looked relieved. Great, this means they hadn't made a mistake.

That's right, the customers' opinions are the best judge. In the past two days, at least half of the customers at each table have specifically requested this honey-glazed lotus root, and some have even recommended it to their tablemates while ordering: "The honey-glazed lotus root here is amazing, you'd be missing out if you didn't try it."

He readily offered, "This is a dessert, not a main course. We'll charge you 700 yuan. What do you think?"

Wang Xiao readily agreed: "Sure, seven hundred it is."

The benefits she received from Mr. Fang's matchmaking alone far exceeded seven hundred yuan. There was really no need to ruin their friendship over such a small amount of money.

She said with a grin, "Uncle Fang, you wait here. When I remember how to cook the dishes again, I'll definitely let you know first."

After saying hello, she came out to find Tang Yicheng, who was waiting at the door.

The kitchen is a restricted area; ordinary people cannot just enter it casually.

Tang Yicheng was unaware that she had already closed two deals and was worried: "Would they be willing to make 500 buns? It would be better to make a smaller batch."

Wang Xiao wanted to facepalm.

Ah, young man, don't let the restaurant's prestigious name blind you. "The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for fame." Well, that's roughly the gist of it. The essence of a businessman is profit-seeking. If there's money to be made, why wouldn't they sell?

"It's nothing." She was too lazy to explain the intricacies of the situation. "My dad's acquaintance made the arrangements. We'll come to pick up the steamed buns early the day after tomorrow. Let's go, don't waste time. We need to visit all the guesthouses in the city today, and then we'll visit the hotels in the surrounding counties tomorrow."

Wang Xiao turned to look at him, "Now you know how to promote it, right? We'll split up. For the stores you visit, we'll split the commission in half, because the method is my idea, and I'll charge an intellectual property fee."

Tang Yicheng was stunned for a moment, and instinctively wanted to object.

During this period, he was less of a salesman working with Wang Xiao and more of a quiet accomplice, while also serving as a deterrent to potential criminals. This girl wasn't alone, so she wasn't an easy target.

Wang Xiao didn't give him a chance to refuse: "While your factory's salespeople are still out there and can't come back yet, you should quickly develop a few long-term clients. Even if you only earn an extra hundred or two yuan a month, it's still an extra hundred or two yuan in income. When you get married, raise children, and take care of your parents, if you don't have enough room, you can rent someone else's house. Every place costs money, so hurry up, the sooner the better. You'll miss this opportunity. Relax, it's just sales, a mutually beneficial thing, nothing to be afraid of."

She hadn't built any connections with the remaining guesthouses by selling recipes, so theoretically, she didn't have any outstanding competitive advantages. And with Tang Yicheng by her side, she couldn't teach him any more tricks.

So go, Pikachu!

After visiting the provincial capital, there are still surrounding cities to go.

Sister, I'll bring you along as my free bodyguard. We can also sell some recipes while we're at it.

Wang Xiao ran all the way home until it was completely dark, and undoubtedly got scolded by Chen Yanqiu.

Running around like this so late at night. If you want to have fun, do it within the factory area. Aren't there enough skating rinks and dance halls for entertainment?

Wang Xiao was completely speechless and could only turn his back to his father to talk to him: "Dad, tell me honestly, are you the Sunday Engineer?"

Comrade Wang Tiejun was so frightened that he jumped up and his eyebrows shot up: "What do you want to do?"

This brat isn't trying to pull some kind of "sacrifice family for the greater good" act, is she? He didn't actually undermine socialism by reselling factory goods to private individuals.

"Nothing!" Wang Xiao rolled her eyes and said irritably, "I just wanted to tell you that since you're going to work in a factory in the countryside on Sundays to earn money, why not earn a little extra on the side?"

She reminded Old Wang of how she bought large meat buns for 45 cents and sold them for 60 cents, saying, "Since you're going to both places anyway, when you go, you can help people bring back large meat buns or other in-demand items that are only available in other provincial capitals. That way, they save on travel expenses, and you earn a delivery fee. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"

Wang Tiejun instinctively objected: "Our family isn't short of money, don't waste it on unnecessary trouble."

Wang Xiao sneered: "If you're not short of money, why are you a Sunday engineer? Wouldn't it be better to go for a walk in the park with my mom on Sundays?"

Without hesitation, Wang Tiejun replied, "Your mother has to go out to give IV drips to people on Sundays, why would she go to the park?"

Well, here comes another one who takes on gigs in his spare time.

It's true that the richer you are, the richer you get. These two are definitely middle class by national standards, yet they still keep looking for opportunities to earn even more money.

Wang Xiao emphasized again: "So why not make some extra money on the side? When you're a Sunday engineer, you have to worry about breaking someone's equipment. My mom is always worried about causing problems when she gives someone an IV drip. What's the risk of reselling a big meat bun? You can make quite a bit."

Wang Tiejun was puzzled: "We've never shortchanged you, have we? Why are you so obsessed with money all the time? Fine, fine, Dad will have your mom give you another hundred yuan for pocket money."

Wang Xiao couldn't hold back and rolled her eyes in front of everyone: "What can you do with a hundred yuan? A million would be more like it."

When a father sees his daughter through a filter, he doesn't get angry even when she rolls her eyes at him; instead, he laughs and asks, "What do you need a million for?"

Wang Xiao hesitated for a minute, then said seriously, "Buy a house, buy a courtyard house or a Western-style house, and wait for it to appreciate in value."

That's right, she also has a second ten-year plan, to capitalize on the real estate boom.

Those who can acquire land all have powerful backgrounds. She is self-aware and knows she is not capable of getting involved in this mess, so she just follows behind and enjoys the benefits.

Hoarding land is out of the question. Before the purchase restriction order was issued, hoarding houses to wait for appreciation was not a big problem.

Then, we'll embark on a third ten-year plan, making money through the internet. Initially, we'll open online stores to build our personal brand, and later we'll move into live streaming, leveraging our status as a major internet celebrity to earn money.

In short, she can never have too much money.

As for cryptocurrency trading, forget it, it's too complicated, and she's not interested in it personally.

Wang Tiejun, however, felt that her buying a house was just creating trouble for herself. It wasn't like she didn't have a room in the house; why buy a house? Those houses were built by the government to sell to overseas Chinese; what did they have to do with ordinary people?

Unable to persuade his daughter, he could only complain to his wife in bed: "This child is really something. She used to have no interest in money, but now all she sees is money!"

Chen Yanqiu had already enjoyed the charm of her daughter's filial piety, so she stood by her daughter's side without hesitation: "What's wrong with her wanting our family to earn more money? It's just asking you to sell some steamed buns, right? You're such a chatterbox. If you won't do it, I will! It's only a few dozen yuan a trip, it's just a side job, what's wrong with doing it?"

She hadn't thought of this beforehand, otherwise she would have done it already.

Having enough money doesn't mean you think you have too much. If you earn an extra two or three hundred a month, save it up, and you'll have a few more new outfits by the end of the year.

Honestly, you can't expect men to be good at managing a household.

Wang Tiejun dared not utter another word, and could only turn his head to look at the wall to console himself, thinking that it was better for him to earn more. It would save his daughter from nagging and not working properly, and from having to sell her chicken feet.

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The next chapter will be released at midnight on the 16th. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 19:50:59 on October 8, 2023 and 19:50:59 on October 14, 2023!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Wukanwukan 10 bottles; Qiqi 3 bottles; Banye de Naobao, 23155266, amanda, Qiaoqiaoshi Xinbian de Xiaoxiao, Huanhuan, 206558081 bottles;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!